52:17B-107. Appearance of attorney general for state in investigations, criminal actions or proceedings

11. a. (1) Whenever in the opinion of the Attorney General the interests of the State will be furthered by so doing, the Attorney General may (a) supersede a county prosecutor in any investigation, criminal action or proceeding, (b) participate in any investigation, criminal action or proceeding, or (c) initiate any investigation, criminal action or proceeding.

(2) Whenever a person's death occurs during an encounter with a police officer or other law enforcement officer acting in the officer's official capacity or while the decedent was in custody, the Attorney General shall supersede the county prosecutor of the county in which the incident occurred for the purpose of conducting, personally or by a designated deputy or assistant attorney general, any investigation, criminal action or proceeding concerning the incident. The Attorney General or designee shall present evidence concerning the incident to a county grand jury impaneled pursuant to N.J.S.2B:21-1 et seq., or a State grand jury, either one regularly impaneled or one requested to be impaneled by the Attorney General or the Director of the Division of Criminal Justice pursuant to N.J.S.2B:22-1 for this specific purpose, in order to determine if the evidence supports the return of an indictment against the officer. Any further investigation, criminal action or proceeding, following an indictment, shall be conducted under the law as any other investigation, criminal action or proceeding resulting from a grand jury indictment; provided that, pursuant to either N.J.S.2B:21-7 or N.J.S.2B:22-7, as applicable, the venue for any action or proceeding shall be a court or tribunal located in a county other than the county in which the incident, resulting in the officer's indictment, occurred.

In such instances of supersession, except as provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection, the Attorney General or designated deputy or assistant attorney general may appear for the State in any court or tribunal for the purpose of conducting such investigations, criminal actions or proceedings as shall be necessary to promote and safeguard the public interests of the State and secure the enforcement of the laws of the State.

b. The Attorney General may in his discretion act for any county prosecutor in representing the interests of the State in any and all appeals and applications for post-conviction remedies.

L.1970, c.74. s.11; amended 2019, c.1, s.1.